Our Awards

We pride ourselves on our award-winning services and achieving recognised quality standards so we can be the best possible employer.

Our commitment to being a great employer

We recognise that our staff, with their commitment, skill and abilities, are an invaluable resource of the organisation, and that staff development is central to the ability of the organisation to meet its aims and objectives effectively.
 

Investors in People – the standard for people management and a sign of an outstanding place to work
 

Real Living Wage Employer – this signals our commitment to voluntarily pay the Real Living Wage, which is based on actual living costs in the UK
 

Better Health at Work Gold Award – recognising our efforts to promote better health at work including physical activity, healthy eating and improved wellbeing
 

Investors in the Environment Silver Award – this signals our commitment to improving our organisation's environmental performance in a sustainable manner
 

North East Combined Authority 'Good Work Pledge' - recognising our efforts in Valuing and Rewarding our Workforce; Promoting Health and Wellbeing; Effective Communications and Representation; Developing a Balanced Workforce – putting diversity and inclusion front and centre; and Social Responsibility. 

 

Quality Standards

Advocacy QPM Award logo crownAdvocacy Quality Performance Mark (QPM) 2025 – Connected Voice Advocacy has been awarded successive QPMs since 2005. The Advocacy QPM is only awarded to organisations who can demonstrate that they provide excellent services in line with the QPM standards and the Advocacy Charter. 
Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation (LIQA)Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation (LIQA) 2024 – Connected Voice was recently awarded the LIQA, demonstrating the quality of our offer and impact in supporting local voluntary, community and social enterprises across Newcastle and Gateshead.
The Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) logoVolunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) 2024 – Connected Voice was recently awarded the VCQA for Gateshead Volunteer Centre in recognition of the quality of the Centre's offer and its impact in supporting local VCSE organisations across Gateshead.

 

Recent awards for our work

 

National Advocacy Awards 2023 - Best Equality Award for Connected Voice		Outstanding Contribution to Equality and Diversity 2023 – our Advocacy service won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Equality and Diversity at the National Advocacy Awards 2023. This builds on the success of our 2018 and 2022 awards and we want to thank everyone who has contributed to us receiving this respected recognition
Outstanding Service Advocacy Award 2022Outstanding Advocacy Service 2022 – our Advocacy service won the overall Outstanding Advocacy Service again at the National Advocacy Awards 2022. We were nominated by Gateshead Council for our safeguarding work to protect people from harm and abuse and Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner for our Hate Crime Advocacy service.